Political Wisdom: Grayson’s Everywhere; What About Rumsfeld?

Here’s a quick Internet spin through some of the names in the news: Rep. Alan Grayson; Matt Latimer, the much-maligned former George W. Bush speechwriter; Donald Rumsfeld, who may or may not currently employ Latimer; and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

First, Grayson: Benjamin Sarlin of The Daily Beast asks simply: “Is Alan Grayson the Democrats’ Joe Wilson? After stirring up a media firestorm with his statement on the House floor that Republicans want sick people to ‘die quickly,’ Rep. Grayson drew frequent comparisons to the South Carolina legislator who shouted ‘You lie!’ at President Obama.” Sarlin notes that “like Wilson, Grayson became an overnight sensation—an instant hero to his party’s base, and Public Enemy No. 1 to the opposition. Unlike Wilson, however, Grayson offers no apologies. In fact, he’s gone on a media blitz since his initial speech to amplify his incendiary arguments. He returned to the House floor to denounce the estimated 45,000 annual deaths due to lack of insurance in America as a ‘holocaust.’” Grayson tells Salin: “There’s a fundamental difference: They’re lying about our bill and we’re telling the truth.”